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Small businesses are at a disadvantage to their larger competitors in terms of market penetration, marketing budget, economics of scale, access to capital, etc. The ability to provide exceptional customer service is an area small businesses have to capitalize on… but unfortunately, many small businesses provide even worse service that their larger competition.

The NFL kicked off again this month. Many of us are devoted football fans, but for business owners, the NFL provides more than just entertainment. In fact, there are many lessons that business owners and managers can learn by paying attention to the action each Sunday.

How can you motivate your employees? Most business owners would quickly reply with “money.” And while money certainly plays a role, the truth is more complicated than that. As Dan Pink explains in this fascinating video, money will only take you so far.

Running a business is tough, and you’re constantly juggling priorities. But, it’s important to understand that nothing is more important that your employees. Engaged, effective employees build winning businesses. Demoralized, disengaged employees drag the business down.

It’s important to learn to think outside box – especially when it comes to marketing. The marketplace can be so overcrowded that it takes an innovative or unusual approach to catch the attention of your audience.

Nothing is worse than walking into your office and realizing that none of your employees want to be there. Motivation is the key to an effective workforce—if your employees don’t care, they are not going to get the job done right.

Most business owners have encountered a “traditional” business plan at some point, perhaps in school, with a previous employer or in their own business. And while a traditional business plan can be helpful in certain situations, in my experience such a business plan is a colossal waste of time for a small business.